Online video sharing platform, YouTube recently announced that it will reduce the quality of its videos to a “standard definition” for all users around the world in order to ease the strain on network, given that more people are staying at home due to lockdowns and other policies amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The move from YouTube began rolling out on Tuesday (25 March) and is expected to last for one month, according to CNN.
With the aim to reduce the burden on internet infrastructure, YouTube said, “We continue to work closely with governments and network operators around the globe to do our part to minimize stress on the system during this unprecedented situation.”
YouTube added that users will still be able to watch the videos in a higher-resolution, but they will need to manually change it on a per-video basis. This is because the videos will now automatically start playing in standard definition.
Similarly, Netflix has also taken initiative to reduce its video’s streaming quality in Europe for a month to manage the surge of internet users during the coronavirus outbreak, according to The Verge.
On this, a Netflix spokesperson commented, “We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25 percent while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.”
